The new government’s pledge to devolve more powers from Whitehall to the West of England offers “a really exciting opportunity” for the region, according to the organisation behind Bristol Chamber of Commerce.
Business West, the region’s largest business organisation, said the move could trigger more jobs, homes and infrastructure as well as better transport while also attracting more private investment. 
Business West’s support for the move follows a meeting between England’s regional mayors – including West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris, pictured – and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer earlier this week.
Keir Starmer and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner, who also attended, said the meeting put into practice a commitment for a reset in relationships between central and regional governments, focusing on public service, respect and collaboration.
This would “power up all corners of the country” they said, adding that early actions were needed to scale up devolution and empower regions to deliver change for their communities, helping to unlock economic growth and tackle regional inequality. 
Ms Rayner asked Mayor Norris, who leads the West of England Combined Authority, to draw up a new Local Growth Plan and identify local specialisms – like the creative industries in the West – to contribute to a national industrial strategy.
Mayor Norris’s present powers are limited to transport, skills, business support and housing policy.
Business West director of policy Matt Griffith, pictured, said that the new Labour government clearly saw combined authorities as a critical route to delivering more jobs, homes and infrastructure.
“We think this is a really exciting opportunity for our region to contribute more to the UK economy and help solve some long-standing regional challenges,” he added. 
“We look forward to hearing from Dan Norris what his plans are to rise to this challenge and how the combined authority can deliver the extra homes, better transport and more public and private investment. This offers a real chance to step up to the opportunity if we decide to take it.”
Mayor Norris said the meeting had shown the new government was hitting the ground running and that “regions are set to be at the heart of shaping the future of the UK.”
He added that the Prime Minister had promised to be bold about pushing resources out of Whitehall, with new powers for mayors over areas like transport, skills and energy.
“The Prime Minister meeting regional mayors is a positive example of the new government hitting the ground running,” he said.
“I have been delivering on skills, the environment and transport for the last four years, including Birthday Buses to get more residents to use the bus, and look forward to working with a Labour government with the same priorities.”
The government will now set up a Council of Regions and Nations to allow ministers and mayors to meet regularly to discuss devolution.
Business West has been a long-term advocate for greater devolution, arguing that it is the best way to drive social mobility and improve regional productivity and prosperity, which in turn boosts the UK economy.
In the West of England, greater devolution in areas such as housing, jobs and infrastructure – alongside appropriate resourcing and a collaborative and constructive devolved culture – would help make the region a better place to live, learn and work, it said.
In the past the organisation had accused the previous government of regularly overlooking the region when it came to ‘levelling up’.
